How Microsoft misunderstands the concept of user research (& how Apple doesn’t)
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Re: How Microsoft misunderstands the concept of user research (& how Apple doesn’t)
#2I am using both operating systems intensive daily. In my experience Windows 7 has really far better file management functionality and interaction.
I think also that the redesign will be an improvement. Power users can turn the ribbon off and use short cuts.
Re: How Microsoft misunderstands the concept of user research (& how Apple doesn’t)
#3I am using both operating systems intensive daily. In my experience Windows 7 has really far better file management functionality and interaction. I think also that the redesign will be an improvement. Power users can turn the ribbon off and use short cuts.
He also points how Finder works today failing to realise Windows has been like that for a while with Libraries: http://www.file-extensions.org/imgs/articles/1/69/microsoft-...
Re: How Microsoft misunderstands the concept of user research (& how Apple doesn’t)
#4I think the main problem with Microsoft is that their strategies have been more focused on doing things that reinforce their Windows monopoly. I can understand why, since it's what keeps them alive, but it also forces unnatural behavior, like embedding IE into the OS, and prevent natural innovation, which is what Windows is suffering from currently.
Now their focus appears to be changing things so that people will upgrade their OS. This is also unnatural behavior, because frankly nothing really needs to be changed anymore, except adding more device drivers and making the OS faster. Changing things around for no particular reason will likely annoy a lot of long-time Windows users (like me). They are providing the exact same functionality, but are just moving things around, to give the illusion of change and value.
However, I think one strategy they are doing is that by using the "Ribbon" experience, they are trying to keep newer Windows users from being able to migrate seamlessly to Linux or MacOS. Right now, everything across all the OSes is menu based, so there's little friction in migrating. If a new generation of users are used to the Ribbon, then moving over to Mac or Linux will be "annoying" to them.
So I think the article is misunderstanding Microsoft. Microsoft isn't making changes because they want to improve the user experience. They are trying to change the user experience in order to preserve their desktop monopoly by leveraging their new users and preventing a barrier of entry to other OSes. Which makes sense from their perspective because they have the money to do the research, and they manpower and resources to make these sweeping changes.
Re: How Microsoft misunderstands the concept of user research (& how Apple doesn’t)
#5Okay, and once the users have found their documents in the beautiful Finder, what are they going to do with them? This seems to be another case of someone confusing attractiveness with usability. The article fails to explain why the author thinks that the Finder makes it easier and/or more obvious for users to figure out how to manipulate their files. What are the motivations and needs of these users (apart from 'I want to see icons representing my files') and how are they fulfilled or not fulfilled by the Explorer and Finder interfaces? Instead of using a data-driven approach, what would be a better way to go about the motivation analysis, and what sort of end result might you get?
It's one thing to slag off Microsoft (unfortunately, they tend to make themselves a fairly easy target), but doing so with no constructive advice to others in the same situation is a bit pointless.
Re: How Microsoft misunderstands the concept of user research (& how Apple doesn’t)
#6Has the OP even used Explorer? The 'All my files' is done through libraries and has been around for ages. And I'm not sure whether Finder is more visually appealing but it sure is not a great file management tool by any means.
The real question is - what does success look like? If MSFT is able to prove statistically that users are able to perform file operations quicker, find commands that they never knew existed before, would that validate this design?
Re: How Microsoft misunderstands the concept of user research (& how Apple doesn’t)
#7Actually this blog post I think is a perfect example of how "designers" in the large don't get it. The ribbon was largely maligned for Office too by the web intelligencia, but as someone who spent time in the enterprise both consulting and selling apps, the ribbon is generally loved by its users. The people who hate the ribbon are the people who use OSX. Try giving Word 2003 to anyone who has spent any time with Word 2010 and you'll be seriously reprimanded.
For example, Had they performed a deeper analysis of the motivations and needs of the users, they would most probably have ended up with a completely different solution. They might have had a solution that wouldn’t be held back by assumptions and limitations made in earlier versions of the application.
This article assumes that this is the second version of Windows ever shipped. They assume that this research hasn't taken place at all in the past. That the existing set of functionality hasn't evolved over time. For example the Win7 task bar is the result of this evolution. File managers are a very specific beast though. I get the feeling the author of the blog post doesn't know them very well.
And the author concludes comparing Finder to Explorer. I don't think I'm alone in finding Finder an inferior user experience. And frankly, I think that most users will find the ribbon to be a vast improvement. The mere addition of a more obvious "Open With" button will save me on support calls.
Re: How Microsoft misunderstands the concept of user research (& how Apple doesn’t)
#8I think the main problem with Microsoft is that their strategies have been more focused on doing things that reinforce their Windows monopoly. I can understand why, since it's what keeps them alive, but it also forces unnatural behavior, like embedding IE into the OS, and prevent natural innovation, which is what Windows is suffering from currently. Now their focus appears to be changing things so that people will up…
>Microsoft isn't making changes because they want to improve the user experience. They are trying to change the user experience in order to preserve their desktop monopoly by leveraging their new users and preventing a barrier of entry to other OSes.
You're looking for a malicious intent in everything Microsoft does. Isn't it possible that the Windows execs simply believe tha the ribbon interface is an improvement rather?
Your idea also just doesn't make much sense. If switching to the ribbon adds a large barrier to entry, then it's also a large enough change to discourage customers from upgrading to Windows 8.
Re: How Microsoft misunderstands the concept of user research (& how Apple doesn’t)
#9If you look at comments Steve Jobs made at one of the All Things D, you know that Apple wants the file system and finder gone from the user experience. It believes the apps should manage this complexity for you. You can see this embodied in iPhoto and iTunes and you see it in how Pages and Numbers now work in Lion
Re: How Microsoft misunderstands the concept of user research (& how Apple doesn’t)
#10Actually this blog post I think is a perfect example of how "designers" in the large don't get it. The ribbon was largely maligned for Office too by the web intelligencia, but as someone who spent time in the enterprise both consulting and selling apps, the ribbon is generally loved by its users. The people who hate the ribbon are the people who use OSX. Try giving Word 2003 to anyone who has spent any time with Word…
I recently started using a Mac about 6 months ago, and I'm surprised at how terrible some of the user experiences are. The Base OS is nice, but there's a lot to be desired by many of their applications. Finder is probably my #1 biggest complaint, because finding files is so hard to do with it.